Did someone ask what was in my box? 🙂
For years I’ve wanted a solar oven. They’re supposedly fairly easy to build but Vince just hasn’t had the time or the desire to build one, and I think he got real tired of hearing “When are you going to build my solar oven?” so he ordered this one.
We all have our views and our beliefs and our fears. Some may think I’m a bit over the edge with my preparations for whatever may happen but having a solar oven gives me a bit of confidence in how we will face difficult situations if they arise. I love knowing that if we go for an extended period without power, and without fuel of any kind, I can still heat up food that we have on hand. And, if I choose to do so, I can use this instead of the inside oven for almost everything we cook. Why use propane and heat up the kitchen with the oven when I can stick food in the solar oven and use absolutely no power at all?
I know there are reasons why this oven isn’t for everyone . . probably because most of you have no interest in having one but if you live in an area that has little sun or has lots of shade or if you have no place to put it . . then it’s not for you but I think we’ll get a lot of use out of it. We definitely have the sun.
Looks like something that landed in my yard, huh? So far, I’ve boiled water and baked pepperoni muffins.
I called Vince and told him it was here and I was fixing to stick some muffins in it and it wasn’t long before he can driving up.
He wanted to see it too! See that sky? Not a cloud to be found. Perfect day for using the solar oven, huh?
Linda in NE says
You’ll have to show us what other goodies you cook up in your new solar oven.
Linda says
That is so cool! You can bake all you want and not heat up the house which is so important in the summer. I am looking forward to hearing all about this gadget and seeing what you make. I am not a cook at all, but everything you post re: cooking looks so good. Do you have any suggestions as to how someone with no cooking skills whatsoever can get started? Thanks for any advice you may have.
Anne C. says
Might just be me, but I don’t think the link to the oven Vince ordered works correctly. It brings up the photo of the cloudless sky.
By the way, it was 111 degrees in central Arkansas today. Didn’t even need an oven to roast outside. Asphalt measured a scorching 158 degrees!
JudyL says
It wasn’t just you. I had the wrong link. Fixed now. Thanks for letting me know. It was just about as hot here as it was in AR today. I think our head index was about 110 but our real temp was about 101. Pretty miserable!
Donna in KS says
Well, my guess was close! We could definitely use one of those in KS these days. I will be anxious to hear/read more about using this “appliance”. …..nice to have seen the delivery pic too!
Ranch Wife says
Well heck! I could use one of those! This kitchen gets impossibly hot when I have the oven on and when I cook for a crew, it’s pretty much on all cotton pickin’ day. I’ll be keeping my eye on you and your solar oven adventures… and putting a bug in DH’s ear!
JudyL says
The cooking area isn’t huge. A 9 x 13 pan without handles will fit but for the crowd you’re usually cooking for, I’m not sure I’d recommend it. For baking cookies and brownies, you can layer the dishes to cook more but you sure can’t pack into it what you can pack into a regular oven.
Peggy says
I could have guessed a million times and would not have guessed a solar oven. How perfect for you in TX. We have plenty of sun in KY, but we live in the woods. Limited sun. Love that you fooked so many of us.
JudyL says
Yes, shade is a problem but it surely is nice to have shade trees!
Peggy says
sorry I can’t spell tonight
Peg says
Wow! How cool is that! (No pun intended – really.) I don’t know that I’d have much opportunity to use it in Central Ohio but if I ever get back to Texas …. or New Mexico …. hmmm …
Would you say it’s portable enough to take camping? ‘Cause I could definitely use it then in Central Ohio, at least during the summer.
JudyL says
You need sun . . lots of sun. Outside temps don’t matter so much. Yes, it would be great for camping if there’s sun. Those solar reflector pads fold down and then it’s just a box with a handle. I think it weighs about 20 pounds. I have no trouble carrying it around.
Missy says
A couple of friends of mine have one, and they said it makes the moistest, tastiest chickens ever, and they can even put a frozen one in there and it will cook, one friend said she forgot her chicken in there all day and it was still very moist and delicious. Of course with the 100 degree days in TX you could fry an egg on the sidewalk!
Debby Brown says
I have always wanted a solar oven! I can’t wait to see what you make in it!
Carla says
That’s so cool. We have been talking about making or getting a solar oven.
(The link to the oven didn’t work correctly. It brougt up the photo of the cloudless sky. )
Can’t wait to see the other things you cooked in the new oven
Don’t laugh but we bought an used pop up camper and my husband installed 3 solar panels that cover most of the roof. So far we have had all the electricity we have needed and more. It’s great.
When he was installing the panels he asked me what I might want to run while we were camping and jokingy I told him my sewing machine. He said no problem
vickie van dyken says
how exciting!! I think it would be very cool to use one….I also think that it was barely 70 here today, with off and on sun. I wonder if it would work at all here, probably not. We do have lots of wood around and an old kettle, so I guess we will have to rely on the campfire 🙂 Not a bad thing!! I think it looks like a real good purchase for the way things are now, and a lot of fun to!!
Leslie says
I think you’ll love it! We got ours (the same one you got) this spring, and haven’t turned on the oven (indoor) since June! Chicken, pork roast, bread, cobbler, chocolate chip cookies…… can’t remember what else we’ve cooked. Everything turned out great tasting. The bread didn’t brown, but the cobbler and meats did. We’re going to have to work on figuring out how to do the bread.
Judy in Michigan says
When you lose electricity because of a storm, what are the chances you will have enough sun to warm or bake?? Of course, you still have the gas stove. Cool oven though.
JudyL says
Probably about 90%! When the power goes off because of a storm, the storm clears but it sometimes takes the power crews days to get the power back on. Surely you’ve seen pictures of folks who haven’t had power in days and it’s nice and sunny.
I blogged the other day about a time in Louisiana when we had an ice storm. It was below freezing and raining for about an hour but enough for limbs to break and take out power lines for most of two parishes. We had gorgeous weather within 24 hours but didn’t have power for 7 days because the outage was so massive.
When the Joplin tornado hit, it was about 5:30 on a Sunday afternoon. By Monday, the weather was gorgeous (May) but some folks who hard no damage to their homes still didn’t have power for weeks.
We had a tornado in KY and it took out part of the relay station that served our area and we went for 10 days without power and the weather was great.
When the power goes off for an hour or two or even a day, we don’t go into emergency mode but when it’s off for days and days, that’s when we need a way to cook.
I’ll use it a lot just to keep from heating the kitchen with the gas oven.
Even though the burners on the gas stove work, the oven doesn’t work without electricity.
I’m actually more concerned about other factors than I am a storm knocking out power.
Deb Levy says
I think it’s a wonderful idea! Both for being prepared and also for an option not to heat up the kitchen…here in the deep South…that’s definitely a selling point!
Kris says
My son and I fashioned one out of pizza box and toasted a few marshmallows. With our midwest heat wave, I wondered how well a real one woud work – boy! is my kitchen hot.
JudyL says
All you need is sun . . lots of sun!
Linda says
Judy, I’m wondering how long it took to bake the muffins? It really sounds neat! Do things like chicken pop and splatter like they do in a regular oven?
We were without electricity for 14 days following Hurricane Ike. Your oven sounds like a winner!
Barb in MI says
How cool is that!
Love it and wished I lived in a sunnier area, though I don’t function too well above 90F… Look forward to seeing your solar creations!
Rose says
Brilliant purchase! And would fit perfectly on the back of that truck we all decided you were getting :)!
Nancy Fitzpatrick says
My hubby built one, but it didn’t work as well as he thought it should. We do have solar electricity and solar water heater…so I guess I’ll just surrender to the gas grill and stove, lol.
Can’t wait to hear of all of your plans for your’s!!
Melinda says
Funny funny. I was actually thinking about trying to build one of these, but more as a science experiment rather than out of necessity. 🙂
Have fun!
Hugs,
Melinda
Pam says
My daughter made one of those for an 8th grade science project. If I remember right, the hotdog she attempted to cook in it never did heat up.
Margie Campbell says
mmm…muffins…pepperoni muffins! Don’t have a solar oven…well, this sewing area might qualify! 9:48 and 90 degrees outside…this room never got below 95 today! Got a quilt I need to get bound and in the mail tomorrow.
Gayle Bong says
IK remember making a solar oven in girl scouts 40 years ago. Gosh that makes me feel old. thanks
pdudgeon says
i’m guessing that the grasshoppers would know to say away from something that hot….hopefully!
JudyL says
It was just rising on the table . . not baking in the solar oven.
Karin says
oh, I would have never guessed!!! How perfect though! Can’t wait to see what you cook in it – and can’t wait to hear more about pepperoni muffins???!!!!
Trish says
I am curious to see what you think of the sun oven. Please share how it does for you. I want one too! Also the pepperoni muffins sound interesting! Is a recipe coming soon?